B.C. teacher suspended for suggesting student would be a ‘good prostitute’

A B.C. teacher will be suspended for three days and undergo professional boundary training after suggesting one of his students could be a “good prostitute.”

The incident happened in January, while Gadagboe Koffie Assigbe was working at a high school in the Peace River South school district, according to a report released by the BC Teachers’ Regulation Branch this week.

According to the document, Assigbe was teaching a social studies class on Jan. 19, focused on Medieval society. The students were asked to research an assigned role or occupation from that time period.

A female student asked “in a joking way” if she could research a different role than the one Assigbe assigned to her – specifically the role of a prostitute.

That’s when Assigbe responded that while she could not make a good prostitute, a fellow student who was not involved in the conversation could be.

“Student B heard Assigbe’s comment and felt uncomfortable by it,” the review board found, as well as other students in the classroom.

Shortly after the incident, Assigbe was suspended for a week without pay. He did not apologize for making the comment until after the district’s investigation, when he was told the students were upset by his comment.

The review has concluded that Assigbe will have his teaching certificate suspended for three days in December. He must also complete a course on respectful professional boundaries.

Teacher focus of prior district investigations

Assigbe has had three other run-ins with school district 59, documents reveal.

On Dec. 19, school district officials issued a letter of discipline after Assigbe physically restrained a student and pulled him into the classroom by the hand.

On June 22, 2015, the district suspended Assigbe for one day without pay, and issued a second disciplinary letter, for physically restraining another student – this time pulling the student into a classroom by the arm.

On Nov. 9, 2016 he was suspended for three days without pay relating to an incident on Oct. 31 where he physically directed three male students out of his classroom by placing his hands on their backs or shoulders.